A federal civil rights complaint filed July 1 alleges Cornell University used race‑based hiring checkpoints across multiple hiring stages—from applicant pool to finalist selection. Internal documents linked to the NIH‑funded FIRST program show Cornell paused searches and filtered candidates based on racial “compositional diversity” at four stages, raising serious legal concerns under Title VII.
The complaint, lodged by the America First Policy Institute, claims Cornell prioritized identity over merit—not just in hiring, but also in scholarship awards—violating federal law and risking access to billions in federal funding. Emails cited include one where the FIRST program would not proceed unless the candidate pool met diversity targets, and another rejecting applicants for weak DEI statements.
Cornell disputes the claims, calling some examples outdated and asserting compliance with Title VI, VII, and IX by using outside audits and corrective actions to ensure merit‑based hiring. Nevertheless, whistleblowers say DEI criteria have been integrated deeply into recruitment protocols, contradicting public statements from the university’s president.
This accusation comes amid a national legal crackdown on DEI programs. The Justice Department, under Harmeet Dhillon, is actively investigating race‑and‑sex based hiring in academia. A 2023 Supreme Court decision has prohibited racial preferences in admissions, and federal guidance now warns institutions of funding penalties if they cross Constitutional lines.
Cornell faces a federal review that could strip NIH and Education Department grants. Legal action could also challenge scholarships with racial preferences. The outcome may set a powerful precedent for universities nationwide.
